Guitarist Jeff Hanneman of Slayer died of liver failure on May 2, 2013, at a Southern California area hospital. He was 49. / Ethan Miller, Getty Images

by Kim Willis, USA TODAY

by Kim Willis, USA TODAY

The 49-year-old founding member of Slayer was hospitalized in Southern California, according to the band's Facebook page. "Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother ... passed away at about 11 a.m. this morning," says the statement posted Thursday evening.

The musician hadn't been on the road with Slayer since 2011, when he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease, most likely brought on by a spider bite. It's unclear whether that illness was connected to his death.